[Vintage-Radio] FS: Racal RA6790/GM receiver

[Avery Comarow]

This 6790/GM has been completely serviced, reburbished, and updated by Gary 
Wingerd, a former Racal top technician who was in charge of service for 
this model for many years and now does so on his own from his home in 
Hagerstown, Md. His skills are deservedly acclaimed, and the small number 
of receivers he puts up for sale are snapped up.

This one has new LCD and LED displays, updated PROM, new lithium battery, 
top and bottom covers, full technical manual (sold separately by Gary for 
$50), audio connector, and power cord. It also includes the optional RF 
amplifier/LP filter module, which includes lightning protection and isn't 
easy to find, and the optional independent sideband module, which is even 
harder to locate. Based on the manual and the manual revisions, the 
receiver was made in 1984.

Appearance is about as close to new as you can get.

Basic frequence range is 0.5 kHz-29.999 MHz. Frequency selection is by 
direct keyboard input or continuous tuning with 8-digit LCD readout.

Unlike many 6790s on the market, this one also comes with all seven IF 
filter slots full. There are six Rockwell-Collins mechanical filters and 
one crystal filter. Mechanical filters: (2) Independent USB and LSB, 450 
Hz-3 kHz bandwidth, (1) 300 Hz, (1) 1 kHz, (1) 3.2 kHz, and (1) 4 kHz. 
Crystal filter: (1) 16 kHz.

The 6790/GM is an admirable receiver, but it isn't intended for casual 
listening on the desktop or bedside stand. It's big (22 inches deep and 
rack width), and it lacks most of the playtoys of today's ham/shortwave 
receivers such as memories and scanning capability. Government and 
commercial purchasers didn't want to pay for that. They paid for 
performance, meaning superior overload characteristics (dynamic range 
greater than 180 dB/Hz), low noise, 1 Hz readout, three tuning rates--fast 
(1000 Hz/revolution), slow (30 Hz), and fine (1 Hz), stability of 5 parts 
per 100 million, essentially flat audio response from 100 Hz to 16 kHz, and 
so on.

For more information and opinions about the 6790/GM, go to www.eham.net and 
click on Product Reviews (under Resources in the left channel), then enter 
6790 in the search box.

I'd much rather do a pickup deal than ship. I'm in Potomac, Md., just 
outside Washington, D.C. I'll drive 50 miles or so to deliver on a solid 
deal--no backing out at the last minute. If I have to ship, I will add 
whatever it costs, including insurance and delivery confirmation, as well 
as packing materials if needed.

Price is firm at $1,000, a bit less than I paid. The buyer won't be sorry. 
It's one heck of a radio.

Email or call: 301-983-2407 home, 202-955-2609 office.

Avery W3AVE